Students are flocking back in record numbers to the Sarasota-Manatee area this semester with the ability to gain new post-secondary opportunities presented by a collaborative effort between area colleges and universities. The Consortium of Colleges on the Creative Coast, or C4, connects with local colleges on a mission to maximize student and community benefits presented by the mix of colleges in the area, including New College of Florida, Ringling College of Art and Design, State College of Florida, the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee (USFSM) and Eckerd College in St. Petersburg. The academic year promises to be big, showing record-shattering numbers across many campuses in the local area. The USFSM campus boasts more than 1,900 students this semester, Ringling College, with 1,400 students, has a record 450 new incoming freshmen, while the State College of Florida hosts nearly 9,300 students this semester.

C4 cultivates numerous student-orientated ideas toward an expansion of the high quality education already available at these area institutions. Dr. Laurey T. Stryker, initiative manager for C4, has direct oversight to the integration of cross-registration within area schools. The cross-registration system is designed for those students whose specific academic paths veer from those courses available at the student’s home campus, allowing students the option to achieve their academic goals with greater ease by enrolling in courses available at different campuses while pursuing one composite degree. “It helps the students so they don’t have to leave the area in search of available courses and it helps the local state colleges become more competitive with its students who might try to leave, so it’s a win-win,” says Stryker.

New College of Florida, Ringling College of Art & Design, University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, the State College of Florida, Florida State University's satellite arts program at the Asolo and Eckerd College in St. Petersburg announced last month that they would form a partnership called the Consortium of Colleges of the Creative Coast, nicknamed C4.

The partnership will enable the colleges to share resources — such as campus police departments — and allow students to take courses at the various participating schools. For example, a student studying film at Ringling College could take a foreign language course at New College and a marketing course at USF Sarasota-Manatee.

While the C4 partnership is primarily an academic one, local business owners and college leaders say they hope increased visibility of the local colleges will spur redevelopment along the North Trail..

"Focus on Quality 2020," University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee’s long-term plan, aims to enrich the university’s academic programs and student life, to expand faculty research and resources, and to more fully engage nearby communities. The plan is being implemented in response to a faster-than-expected student population growth, and the University’s strategy to support the growth. Go here to read detailed information about the plan and its goals.

When Bella Nonna’s Bistro opened about four months ago on North Tamiami Trail, the small bistro, strutting comfortable dining and a quaint deck on which to eat outside, answered Ringling College students’ call for a restaurant between University and Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard. The small Italian eatery boasts fresh loaves of unbaked bread shipped in from an undisclosed Italian bakery in New York City. Each morning, the chefs cook off the dough for freshly baked bread. Ken Ingersoll, chef and part owner, says that most dishes have been made from scratch. Although it is easier to buy products than make them in-house, Ingersoll feels it translates into a better plate. The difference, he said, is found in the taste. For an authentic bite passed down by four traceable Italian generations (Ingersoll figures it’s been handed down for even more), try From The Pot. This well-seasoned sauce simmers for 12 hours, cooking out a majority of the acidic bite traditionally found in tomato sauces. Handmade meatballs made with Parmesan, eggs, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper have been browned and added to the pot along with sausage and pork, providing an added zip of savory to your bite. The tomato and garlic-roasted flavor comes from fresh ingredients and the dish itself has been known as a peasant’s dish. But spread over a bed of rigatoni pasta and layered with cheese, it tastes like royalty to me. Original article published in SRQ Daily on February 16, 2012 (www.srqmagazine.com).